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Re: Certification

I love it.
Further to that: in my experience, many (but certainly not all) Technical
"writers" who are not degreed in the profession, and/or who simply drifted
into it from some other profession, are lousy writers who do not understand
the basic precepts of grammer, syntax, punctuation, style . . .you name it.
They embarrass the profession and the companies they work for and take up
job slots for which qualified professionals are hungry and deserving. I'm
for certification, if for no other reason than to keep the bar raised high
enough to filter these rascals out. There, I've said it and I feel much
better.
-Vester
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From: 75120.2156
To: Multiple recipients of list TECHWR-L
Subject: Certification
Date: Tuesday, July 11, 1995 3:51PM

Richard Dimock defensively contends that
certification already exists in the form of
a college degree and chastises those who
are interested in other forms of certification
not to "drag others who are already producing
just fine, thank you, into the program with you."

Well, defensively or a devil's advocate I had to
respond.

I work for an environmental consulting firm with
lots of engineers and geologists. Most of them have
degrees and experience, but addition to degrees as
lofty as PhD and many years of experience, most
of these folks have other initials tagged to the end
of their names: E.I.--Engineer Intern; P.E.--Professional
Engineer; R.G.--Registered Geologist; and
P.G.--Professional Geologist.

This is why I've chosen to pursue a certification: the people
with initials like other people with initials. It adds credibility
in the eyes of my coworkers. I don't pretend that it's a panacea.
I don't think it's going to give me skills I don't already have.
It's just another hoop to jump through on they way up, and
I'm not dragging anyone with me--it makes it harder to jump high.